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(No Model.)

0. 0. SKINNER. I

SLED BRAKE.

No. 436,464. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

j? W2? 771x. U/zaria (1570717147? UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES C. SKINNER, OF LONG PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- l-IALF TO HENRY H. BUDGETT, OF SAME PLACE.

SLEDeBRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,464, dated September 16, 1890. Application filed March 28, 1890. Serial No. 345,668. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. SKINNER, of Long Prairie, in the county of Todd and State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Rough-Locks for Sleds, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to an improvement in a device to be attached to a draft-sled whereby the forward movement of the sled may be easily stopped or retarded when passing down an incline; and to this end my invention consists, generally, in the construction and combination hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a sled with myimprovement attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 00 a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line y y of Fig. l and showing the brake in operation. Fig. 4 is a detail.

The advantage of myimprovement is that the brake is set by the force exerted by the team in holding back the load, and the amount of resistance exerted is regulated to suit the amount of force required to thus retard the load, so that if there is but a slight tendency to slide there will only be a slight resistance from the brake.

Another advantage is that I provide a means for preventing the operation of the brake when not required.

In the drawings, 2 represents a sled-bob, provided with suitable runners 3 of ordinary construction, and provided with a roller 4, secured between the forward ends of the said runners. A tongue 5, centrally located, extends forward from the sled, and to this tongue the team is attached in the ordinary manner. The rear end of the tongue 5 preferably passes through an aperture in the roller 4, and is allowed to slide therein. Seinicircular or U-shaped braces 7 may be secured to the roller, and extend forward therefrom and form a support for the tongue at the top and bottom. I prefer to provide rollers 9 at each side of the said tongue, held upon suitable columns or bolts between the braces 7. The object of these rollers is to support the tongue upon the side, but allow it to be moved freely back and forth between them. Metal plates may be secured upon the edges of the tongue in contact with the rollers to prevent wear.

In the rear of the roller 4 and secured to the extremity of the tongue I prefer to place a cross-bar ll, extending parallel with said roller. The tongue is preferably connected to the cross-bar by a bolt, forming a pivoted connection. Brake-shoes 13, preferably of steel, are pivotally secured to the runners 3. I prefer to place these shoes on either side of the runners, as shown, although in some instances one upon the inner side of each runner may suince. The preferable construction of these shoes is that shown in the drawings, the lower portion, or that below the pivotal point, being cut off at an angle and stands when not in use with its lower point toward the rear of the sled. The opposite end extends forward and over the runner, and is there secured by a suitable pivot-joint to a connecting-link 15. The bolt which holds the brake-shoe to the runner may pass through the outer shoe and through the runner and be received in a threaded aperture in the inner shoe, and be screwed to a shoulderin this said inner shoe, and thus allow a slight clearance between the runner and the brake-shoe to prevent them from binding. The connecting-1inks 15,which are pivoted to the upper extremity of the brake-shoe, preferably extend forward and are secured to the extremities of the crossbar 11. A latch or dog 17 is preferably hinged to the tongue 5, and is arranged to fall forward of the roller l when the tongue is in its forward position, for the purpose of firmly holding and locking the said tongue in this position and preventing any backward movement through the said tie-bar, and thus pre- 0 vent any possibility of the brakes becoming set. The pivoted connections between the brake-shoes and the tongue are preferably somewhat loose, so that if either shoe passes over an obstruction it may yield and depress 5 the other shoe more.

The doubletrees for attaching the team are preferably secured upon the cross-bar 11. The latch or dog 17 might engage the braces 7 and secure the same result.

' The operation of my device is as follows: The dog 17 is thrown out of engagement with the roller, as shown in Fig. 3, the force of the team in holding back the sled causing the tongue to slide backward through the aperture in the roller and between the rollers 9, and carries with it the cross-bar 11. The upper ends of the brake-shoes 13 are forced backward by means of a connecting-link 15 and swing upon their pivots, as shown in Fig. 3, and their lower or beveled ends are brought in contact with the surface below the runner. The amount of thebite which these shoes will make will be in exact proportion to the amount of resistance required to retard the load or to the forward pressure of the load, and by this means I am enabled to provide an efiectual brake and one which acts with a gradual resistance. When the brake is not required, the dog 17 is thrown back and engages the roller 4. The cross-bar 11 now rests against the rear surface of the roller 4, and these bars and the tongue are thus rigidly locked together, and in this condition the device can be used as an ordinary sled without a brake attachment.

I claim as my invention The combination,with a sled, of the brakeshoes pivotally connected to the sled-runners, the roller 4, the sliding tongue extending through said roller, the cross-bar 11, secured to said tongue, the links 15, connecting the opposite end of the cross-bar 11 with the brakeshoes, the braces 7, secured upon the roller 4 and provided with the rollers 9 bearing upon the opposite sides of the tongue, and means for locking said tongue, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of March, 1890.

CHARLES C. SKINNER.

In presence of ALICE KELSEY, M. O. KELSEY. 

